Qantas Airways Maintenance Strikes

(Reuters) – Australia’s Qantas Airways announced that aircraft maintenance engineer strikes starting on Thursday in Melbourne are expected to last for two weeks across the country but are not anticipated to disrupt flights.

“We’re putting contingencies in place and don’t currently expect this industrial action to have an impact on customers,” said a Qantas spokesperson.

The Qantas Engineers’ Alliance, which consists of several unions, is demanding a 5% annual pay rise and a 15% first-year payment, citing 3.5 years of wage freezes.

The alliance indicated that the strikes may affect Qantas flights in major locations but did not provide further comments when requested.

Qantas, Australia’s flag carrier, has been working to restore its reputation following various controversies over travel bookings and employee treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted travelers, employees, and shareholders.

Approximately 1,100 out of 2,500 engineers at Qantas are affected by the enterprise agreements currently under negotiation, which expired at the end of June 2024, according to the airline.

The airline mentioned progress in discussions with unions.

“We want to reach an agreement that includes pay rises and ensures we have a sustainable business,” stated the spokesperson.

In August, Qantas reported an annual underlying pre-tax profit of A$2.08 billion ($1.41 billion), marking a 16% decline from the previous year. On the same day, it announced an in-principle agreement for pay increases for about 2,500 international cabin crew and approved three pay raise applications for up to 800 short-haul staff by the flight attendants’ union.